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Jonty Messer

13 June 2013 at 2:38pm

Everything you wanted to know about Rock Samphire - the latest 'IT' vegetable

It's billed as the new vegetable of the moment and it's called Rock Samphire. It can only found on the edge of sea cliffs and there's a huge rise in demand for the tasty plant in British restaurants. It means those who harvest it find themselves in some precarious places.

Six facts about Rock Samphire:

1) It's real name is Crithmum maritim

2) It's leaves are described as having "pleasant, hot and spicy taste"

3) It used to be sold by hawkers in the streets of London who called it Crest Marine

4) It's sometimes called 'sea asparagus'

5) It's best picked early season (June) when the stalks are nice and tender

6) The stems, leaves and seed pods may be pickled in hot, salted, spiced vinegar